WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Brad Keselowski would have preferred to win. Instead, the Penske Racing driver will have to find solace in knowing he played a major role in one of the most spectacular last-lap battles of the season.

The fireworks began on the final lap of Sunday’s Finger Lakes 335 when race leader Kyle Busch got loose in Turn 2 after sliding in oil put down by fellow Toyota driver Bobby Labonte.

As Busch slipped and struggled to control his car, Keselowski closed a 2-second gap and, with his own tires soaked in oil, plowed into the back of Busch.

The contact sent Busch spinning and opened the door for Keselowski to retake the lead.

“I got under (Busch) going into Turn 2 and we all slipped in oil,” Keselowski said. “(I) hit him and spun him. I mean, I hate to say there was nothing I could do, but there was literally nothing I could do.”

Ambrose then closed the gap on Keselowski, and the two spent the remainder of the final lap fighting nose to tail and side by side through the corners, down the straights and through the dirt.

With both drivers often more sideways than straight, Ambrose nosed ahead and streaked across the finish line to take his second straight win at Watkins Glen, with Keselowski half a second back.

“It came down to just running a whole lap against Marcos,” Keselowski said. “I got in the oil and we’d slip up. He’d get by me and then he’d get in the oil and I’d get by him.

“I think that’s the way racing should be. It’s great to race against guys like Marcos that you can run on, lean on and don’t lose their cool and intentionally wreck you.”

Keselowski, who led 37 laps, had control of the race until a restart on lap 75 of 90. After taking the green, Busch bounded into the top spot with a bold move to the inside of Keselowski in Turn 1.

“(Busch) put me in a situation where it was either I let him go or we both wreck,” Keselowski said. “It didn’t make any sense to wreck out of this race for me.

“It would have been interesting to see what (would have) happened had we had another yellow there at the end. That would have put me in the third-place position where essentially it would have been my responsibility to dive the (expletive) out of Turn 1 and hope that Kyle let me in.

“It would have been interesting to see what mentality he had then. I’m guessing he wouldn’t have let me in.”

Four laps after losing the lead, Keselowski lost second to Ambrose.

“That was just from pushing so hard to try to get by Kyle,” Keselowski said. “That was just me doing all I could to get back by Kyle.”

On the penultimate lap, Keselowski made his way back around Ambrose for second but didn’t have a shot of catching Busch until Busch slipped in the oil and set the stage for what is sure to be one of the most memorable finishes in NASCAR’s 30 years of racing at Watkins Glen.

“That’s what racing is supposed to be right there: a little bit of bumping and rubbing but none of that intentional wrecking BS,” said Keselowski, who is still trying to get his first Sprint Cup win on a road course.

“I really enjoy coming here. This is a real road course. Seems like all the other places are parking lots with corners. You see real racing here. I think that’s what today was.”